Making the Most Out of a Mirepoix

Asian Stir-Fry with Cauliflower & Bok Choy

Mirepoix is a fixture of classic French cuisine:  it’s a mixture of diced and sautéed carrots, celery, and onions used as a base for soups, stews, stocks, and sauces.  You can add other vegetables and whatever herbs you’d like to tailor it to your tongue; like the staple Latin sofrito blend of garlic, onion, and red bell pepper, mirepoix is meant to be a springboard for your creativity in the kitchen.

Given that, I thought, why not start in France and wind up in southeastern Asia?  I had bok choy nestled in the bottom of my crisper drawer and a bag of peas in the freezer.  Toss in some garlic, ginger, and tamari — and the random-but-welcome head of cauliflower occupying a chunk of prime refrigerator real estate — and I knew I’d have the makings of an easy and delicious meal.  And like mirepoix itself, this blend of flavors and attitudes can be combined (or interchanged) with plenty of other elements to create several different meals.  Talk about modular leftovers!

Mirepoix Asian Stir-Fry

2 carrots, diced
1 medium onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1-2 leeks, thoroughly cleaned and diced
2-3 cloves garlic, sliced into thin rounds or slivers
1 cup peas (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cauliflower, steamed in simmering water for about 5 minutes and then drained and chopped
1 tsp. ginger
2-3 T. tamari or soy sauce
2-3 T. rice wine vinegar
Sprinkling of crushed red pepper
1 medium bunch bok choy, chopped
Unrefined peanut oil for drizzling (optional)
Unrefined sesame oil for drizzling (optional)

Sautée carrots, onion, celery, leek, and a tablespoon or two of coconut oil over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are a little bit soft and the onion is nearly translucent. (Butter works, too, but the coconut adds a bit more Asian zing.) Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring often, for another 2 or 3 minutes. If the vegetables start to stick, add a tablespoon or two of the tamari and/or rice wine vinegar.

Stir in cooked cauliflower, ginger, (remaining) tamari and vinegar, and red pepper. Add the bok choy and gently mix it in. Cover and cook for another 3 minutes to steam the bok choy and re-heat the cauliflower. Remove from heat and stir in peanut oil (if desired). Plate, then drizzle sesame oil onto each portion. Serve immediately.

Note: this recipe makes about two servings, but you can easily expand this by tossing the stir-fry with noodles, additional vegetables like bell peppers or mushrooms, and/or serving meat or seafood along with the stir-fry. (This would be a great way to make use of leftover chicken!)

Enjoy!

Tags: asian, cauliflower, leeks, mirepoix, pasta, stir-fry